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2025/2026 Australian cyclone season
The 2025/2026 Australian cyclone season was less active than the previous season. 14 cyclones were recorded within the Australian basin, and the season also played host to the costliest Australian tropical cyclone ever, Cyclone Tamara. Severe Tropical Cyclone Ruth The first tropical low of the 2025/2026 Australian Cyclone Season was first monitored on September 20, within the Coral Sea. It moved slowly southeast, strengthening into Cyclone Ruth early on September 22. Ruth continued slowly on a southeasterly track before turning south, gradually intensifying into a Category 3 system. Ruth eventually made landfall at Rockhampton on the 26th, causing moderate-major damage to the town and outlying areas, and causing the death of two people. Ruth rapidly dissipated, going from Category 3 strength at landfall late on the 26th to full dissipation at around 7am on September 27, around 100km south of Rockhampton. Tropical Low 02U 02U was first noted around 150km northwest of Port Hedland on September 10. The low moved slowly eastward, not showing any signs of intensifying, before turning southward, hitting Port Hedland on September 13, causing the area to be lashed with moderate-heavy rainfall and near-gale force winds for several hours. 02U dissipated after travelling slowly southward for 36 more hours, dispersing in between the towns of Marble Bar and Newman early on the 15th of September. Tropical Cyclone Scott Scott’s precursor low formed approximately 200km west of Darwin on September 29, and moved southwesterly, reaching cyclonic intensity and being named Tropical Cyclone Scott the following day. Scott continued on a southwesterly track for a few days before moving onto a more westerly track, where it began to weaken. Scott degenerated to a tropical low on October 3, and fully dissipated on October 5 after drifting a little further westward. Tropical Low 04U 04U formed well northwest of Exmouth on October 8. 04U meandered southeast slowly for a couple of days before dissipating on October 11. Severe Tropical Cyclone Tamara Tamara was a monstrous cyclone, which was also unusual in three ways. Like Tropical Cyclone Hal the previous season, Tamara made landfall in three different Australian states/territories (Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia). Unlike Hal, Tamara made landfall in each state as a Category 5 storm. Lastly, Tamara was a very long lasting cyclone, lasting three weeks. The precursor low to Tamara formed in the eastern Coral Sea early on October 10. Moving west, the low quickly intensified into a cyclone and being named Tropical Cyclone Tamara later the same day. Tamara continued to move westward, intensifying fairly quickly, reaching Category 3 status approximately 300km east of Cairns by October 13. The following 24 hours saw Tamara accelerate a bit, and coupled with explosive intensification, it reached Category 5 status by the end of October 14. At noon on October 15, Tamara made landfall for the first time, at Cairns, bringing copious amounts of rainfall and winds up to 250km were recorded. Tamara’s effects at landfall were felt from Cooktown to Townsville. Fortunately, no one was killed in Cairns and other areas in Queensland that Tamara affected. The cyclone weakened down to a Category 3 system by the time it entered the Gulf Of Carpentaria on October 17. While in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Tamara slowed down, and had rapidly reintensified into a Category 5 system by October 18. The system very slowly moved northwest, making landfall again, over Eastern Arnhem Land on October 21. Tamara moved slowly westward over Arnhem Land over the following 24 hours, causing plenty of damage but fortunately no deaths. Tamara had weakened to a Category 3 system when it hit Darwin on October 22, causing plenty of damage and minor flooding, but again, there were no deaths caused. After lingering over Darwin for several hours on the 22nd, Tamara moved back offshore late on the same day. Tamara moved west southwest for a time after moving offshore from Darwin, growing to huge proportions, winds of up to 310km/h were being recorded and the storm managed to reach an atmospheric pressure of 900hPa. Tamara made a slow and gradual turn to the south east, still moving slowly. Tamara had weakened slightly by the time it made landfall for a third and final time at Onslow on October 28, but was still at Category 5 status and was still at a huge size. Major damage was caused on Onslow, and there was a wide area affected by Tamara’s final landfall (from Coral Bay to Port Hedland). Tamara continued south southeast over land, weakening only slowly, saturating inland WA with heavy rainfall and bestowing very heavy winds along with it. The cyclone finally degenerated into a tropical low around 250km east northeast of Geraldton on October 31, and fully dispersed around 200km southeast of the town the following day. All coastal areas of WA south of Onslow were affected by Tamara in some way, from Coral Bay down to Margaret River, including Perth. Most of these areas received at least 100mm of rainfall. Two people died in WA due to the heavy damage caused by Tamara, which were the only deaths of the cyclone. The total damage caused by Tamara was estimated to be at around AUS$4.2 billion, making Tamara the costliest cyclone to ever affect Australia. The name ‘Tamara’ was also retired by the Australian Bureau of Meterology, never to be used again. Tropical Low 06U 06U formed well to the west of Western Australia on October 16. It dissipated three days later having remained near stationary during its lifetime. Tropical Low 07U 07U formed around 150km south of Port Moresby on October 22. Moving fairly quickly to the southeast, 07U dissipated on October 26, at the eastern edge of the Australian Basin. Tropical Cyclone Victor Victor’s precursor low formed on October 31, around 500km north of Port Hedland. The low reached cyclone intensity on November 2, after drifting southwesterly. Victor continued on a southwesterly path, weakening as it moved, degenerating into a tropical low by November 4 and dissipating fully the following day. Tropical Low 09U 09U formed around 500km west of Broome on November 4, and drifted westwards until dissipating on November 7. Tropical Cyclone Yvonne The Australian Bureau of Meteorology began monitoring a tropical low which had formed some 125km southeast of the Cocos Islands on November 15. The low began moving southeasterly, gradually building up intensity and becoming Tropical Cyclone Yvonne on November 18. Yvonne briefly continued on a southeastern path before turning towards the west and weakening, fully dispersing late on November 20 after being downgraded to a tropical low several hours earlier in the day. Severe Tropical Cyclone Aaron The low which preceded Tropical Cyclone Aaron formed within the Timor Sea and moved westsouthwesterly on November 22, gradually building in size and intensity to become Tropical Cyclone Aaron by November 24. Aaron intensified quickly into a Category 3 system within 24 hours of initial cyclone formation. The cyclone then moved onto a more westerly track, and began weakening slowly, fully dissipating on November 30. Aaron had made no impact on land. Tropical Cyclone Brianna A tropical low was first sighted within the Coral Sea on November 27th. It moved southwesterly, reaching cyclonic intensity and being named Brianna on November 29. Brianna continued southwesterly, before moving to the southeast and rapidly weakening, having fully dissipated on December 4. Tropical Low 13U 13U formed well west of Western Australia on December 10. It remained almost stationary before dispersing on December 13. Tropical Cyclone Craig Craig was initially monitored as a tropical low on December 18 over Christmas Island. The system moved south, and briefly reached cyclone intensity on December 20. Ex-Tropical Cyclone Craig continued to move south until fully dissipating on December 24. Tropical Cyclone Doris The low which became Doris formed well to the east of Cairns on Christmas Day. It moved westerly, and intensified to reach cyclonic intensity by late Boxing Day. Doris continued to head towards the Queensland coast before turning towards the southeast and weakening, becoming a tropical low on New Year’s Eve and fully degenerating later on the same day. Tropical Low 16U A weak tropical low formed within the Gulf of Carpentaria on January 5 and dissipated the following day. Severe Tropical Cyclone Eric Eric was first monitored as a low around 500km northwest of Port Hedland on January 10. The low moved easterly, rapidly intensifying into a cyclone and further into a Category 3 system less than 24 hours after the initial low was formed, and the cyclone was called Eric. Eric turned towards the west and moved steadily, not intensifying or weakening. Eric began encountering high windshear on the 17th of January which rapidly sheared away the cyclone, causing it to weaken as rapidly as it strengthened, fully degenerating by January 18. Tropical Cyclone Faye A tropical low formed in the Arafura Sea on January 21 and gradually moved into the Gulf of Carpentaria, becoming Tropical Cyclone Faye for around 12 hours on January 23 and 24. The Ex-Tropical cyclone made landfall at Burketown just prior to dissipation on Australia Day. Severe Tropical Cyclone Laurent Laurent moved into the Australian basin from the La Reunión basin on January 29 as a newly formed Category 1 cyclone. Laurent continued on its east southeasterly path, building up strength, reaching Category 3 status around 450km west of Exmouth on February 2. Laurent moved onto a more southeasterly path, and began to weaken, eventually making landfall over Carnavon late on February 5 as a Category 1 system. One person died in Carnavon due to the effects of Laurent. Laurent continued southeasterly over land, degenerating into a tropical low midway through February 6 and fully decaying by February 7, around 400km southeast of Carnavon. Tropical Cyclone Greg The Australian Bureau of Meteorology began monitoring a low within the Arafura Sea on February 3. The low moved slowly into the Gulf of Carpentaria, strengthening into Cyclone Greg in the process. Greg continued to move slowly southward through the Gulf, before making a slight turn northeast and making landfall at the town of Weipa in Far North Queensland on February 8, causing moderate damage and no deaths. Greg rapidly weakened as it began moving southeast over Queensland, fully dissipating over the Great Dividing Ranges on February 9. Tropical Low 21U 21U was a weak tropical low which existed for around 12 hours on the 16th and 17th of February. 21U formed in the Timor Sea and remained almost stationary during its lifetime. Tropical Cyclone Helen A tropical low which had formed in the Gulf of Carpentaria on February 27 rapidly reached cyclone intensity the following day, being named Helen. Helen remained near stationary, and remained a cyclone for around 24 hours before spectacularly degenerating fully on March 1. Tropical Low 23U 23U formed on March 10 well to the west of Australia, and dissipated three days later having slowly drifted easterly and not showing any signs of intensifying. Tropical Low 24U 24U was the final storm of the 2025/2026 season. Forming in the Coral Sea on March 19, 24U moved slowly westward, slowly gathering up strength. However on March 22, 24U suddenly dissipated, due to the area of high windshear which the tropical low moved into. Category:Aidan1493’s Australian Cyclone Season